Apparatus for the closing of the toe of a circularly knit stocking

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an apparatus for closing the opening formed at or near the toe end of a circularly knit stocking which is knit from a yarn forming a stocking web, where a bead is provided along the edge of said opening. The apparatus has a guiding channel with a longitudinal slot, through which channel the superposed bead halves are advanced from one end to the other, the stocking web extending through the slot of the channel. Before the closing operation the stocking is taken over by a clamping device consisting of a stationary table and a rotating presser foot between which the stocking web is clamped so as to be advanced past a seaming station by the rotation of the presser foot. The guiding channel is continued along part of the contour of the clamping device, but ends at some distance from the seaming station.

United States Patent [1 1 Sparse an 3,886,876 June 3, 1975 APPARATUS FOR THE CLOSING OF THE [73] Assignee: Hans Christian Andersen,

Kastanienbaum, Switzerland [22] Filed: Apr. 25, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 464,229

[30] Foreign. Application Priority Data 3,513,792 5/1970 Rossler 112/l21.15 3,527,181 9/1970 Beamon 112/27 3,738,294 6/1973 Christiansen 1 l2/121.15 3,811,390 5/1974 Hahne 112/27 Primary Examiner-Geo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Watson, Cole, Grindle & Watson [57] ABSTRACT The invention relates to an apparatus for closing the opening formed at or near the toe end of a circularly knit stocking which is knit from a yarn forming a stocking web, where a bead is provided along the edge of said opening. The apparatus has a guiding channel with a longitudinal slot, through which channel the superposed bead halves are advanced from one end to the other, the stocking web extending through the slot of the channel. Before the closing operation the stocking is taken over by a clamping device consisting of a stationary table and a rotating presser foot between which the stocking web is clamped so as to be advanced past a seaming station by the rotation of the presser foot. The guiding channel is continued along part of the contour of the clamping device, but ends at some distance from the seaming station.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR THE CLOSING OF THE TOE OF A CIRCULARLY KNI'I STOCKING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION.

This invention relates to an apparatus for the closing ofthe toe of a circularly knit stocking which is knit with a thickened bead along the edge of an opening to be closed. In a known method of knitting such a stocking. the toe portion is formed in the circular knitting machine by causing the knitting head to perform an oscillating movement instead of a progressively rotating movement. As a consequence the subsequent closing of the toe does not take place at the very tip of the toe, but along a so-ealled looper-line which extends across the upper side or underside of the stocking foot near the tip thereof. By this method an improved contigura' tion of the toe is obtainable. which is particularly of importance for stockings of a heavier quality. such as socks.

The above mentioned head which is formed in the last step of the knitting operation is used as an expedient in the toe closing operation. Toe closing apparatus are known. e.g.. from US. Pat. No. 3,527.l8l. which are based on stocking blanks having such guiding beads and which are constructed with a pair of superposed jaws having marginal portions defining between them a guiding channel having a longitudinal slot, the channel being constructed to receive the superposed bead halves of a stocking. the stocking web extending through the slot of the channel, the superposed bead halves being pushed into the guiding channel at one end thereof and the stocking then being slid along the guiding channel and, upon leaving it at its other end. proceeding directly to a toe closing or seaming station e.g.. comprising a trimmer for cutting offexcess stocking web. followed by a sewing machine.

SUMMARY OF The INVENTION It is an object of the invention to obtain an improved correctness and regularity of the seaming line formed in a stocking of the type described.

According to the invention. an apparatus for the closing of the toe of a circularly knit stocking which is knit from yarn forming a stocking web with a thickened bead along the edge of an opening to be closed by means of the apparatus comprises, in combination, a stationary flat stocking toe support having a curved edge portion. a presser foot engageable with said stocking toe support to clamp the toe portion of a stocking between said presser foot and said support. said presser foot being rotatable and having a clamping edge substantially concentric with said curved edge portion of said stocking toe support at a small distance therefrom. toe closing means disposed at a seaming station adjacent said curved edge portion of said stocking toe support. and a pair of superposed jaws having marginal portions defining between them a longitudinally slotted guiding channel to receive the superposed bead halves of a stocking. the stocking web extending through said slot. said guiding channel having a first free end at which the superposed bead halves of the stocking can be introduced into the channel for sliding movement therealong. said channel extending to a delivery point adjacent the curved edge of said support for introducing the stocking web. extending through the slot, between said support and said presser foot. said channel extending further substantially along said curved edge of said support and having a second free end in a position reached by the stocking slightly before this arrives at the seaming station.

It will be seen that in the use of such an apparatus the stocking toe portion does not proceed directly from the guiding channel to the seaming station. but is taken over. before reaching that station. by a clamping device consisting of the stocking toe support and the presser foot and is therefore firmly held in a flattened condition along a contour defining the seaming line. the latter being formed immediately adjacent said contour as the stocking toe portion is moved past the seaming station by the rotation of the presser foot. The continuation of the guiding channel along part of the contour of the clamping device ensures that the stocking web is transferred to the clamping device in a regular. nondistorted state with the courses of the stocking web extending along said contour.

It has been found that the regularity of the stocking web being transferred from the guiding channel to the clamping device may sometimes be further improved by arranging the part of the guiding channel extending along the curved edge of the stocking toe support in such a manner as to diverge from the contour of the presser foot in a direction from said delivery point to said second free end so that the stocking web outside the contour of the presser foot is slightly stretched during part of its travel to the seaming station.

In an embodiment of the invention the axis of rotation of the presser foot is inclined with respect to the stocking toe support. the clamping edge of said presser foot being formed by a toothed collar of resilient material. This is one way of facilitating the introduction of the stocking web between the stocking toe support and the presser foot.

In another embodiment of the invention. which may. if desired. be combined with the first one. the stocking toe support has a rear termination located at the point of delivery. an inclined guiding lip being provided at that location for guiding the stocking web from below on to the top surface of the stocking toe support to be gripped by the presser foot rotating thereabove. This is another way of facilitating the introduction of the stocking web between the stocking toe support and the presser foot.

In the latter embodiment a further guiding lip may be provided rearwardly of the stocking toe support in a position such that the stocking web is guided below said further guiding lip before proceeding to said inclined guiding lip. The stocking web is thereby protected against untimely engagement by the presser foot before it reaches the point of deliver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a first embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention. in top view.

FIG. 2 on a larger scale. is the zone FIG. I indicated by B in that FIG. with diagrammatic illustration of the courses of a stocking being advanced towards the position in which seaming is to take place.

FIG. 3 is a section along line Ill-Ill of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 on a larger scale, is the zone of FIG. 3 indicated by A in that FIG.

FIG. 5 is a section along line V-V of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is diagrammatically a second embodiment in perspective view.

FIG. 7 a section along the broken and partly curved line VllVll of FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the second embodiment, the presser foot being indicated by a contour line, and all parts above it being removed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS.

In the embodiment of FIGS. l5, l is a stationary table or stocking toe support and 2 is a circular presser foot engageable with the table to clamp the toe portion of a stocking therebetween. The table 1 has a circular portion la substantially concentric with the presser foot 2 and a rectilinear portion lb The presser foot is mounted on a shaft 3 which is slightly inclined from the vertical and which is rotatably driven by a driving motor, not shown. The presser foot has a collar 4 of resilient material such as rubber, which is of a conical configuration having teeth of serrations along its lower edge which engages the table 1 along its circular portion starting approximately in the position indicated by 5, hereinafter referred to as the delivery position, and moves along the edge of the table 1 past a seaming device 6 which is located immediately outside the edge of the table in a position spaced about 90 from the delivery position 5. The seaming device may in known manner comprise a trimmer to cut off the superposed bead halves, and sewing needles, but no fabric feeding means of its own.

For the introduction and guiding of a stocking, the apparatus further comprises a pair of guiding jaws 7 forming a longitudinally slotted guiding channel to receive the superposed bead halves B of a stocking S, see FIG. 4, the slot between the jaws being denoted by 7a. The guiding jaws have a freely disposed feeding portion 8 extending to the edge of the table 1 in the delivery position from which the guiding jaws continue without interruption in a path extending along the edge of the table 1 and slightly diverging from the lower edge of the presser foot until a point slightly ahead of the position of the seaming device 6. In a zone immediately ahead of the end of the guiding jaws, the table 1 is provided with a recess 10.

The apparatus described operates as follows:

The superposed bead halves of a stocking, the toe of which is to be closed, is in known manner pushed into the guiding channel formed between the guiding jaws 7, FIG. 4, and the stocking is then manually slid along the guiding channel until it reaches the position 5. To facilitate the introduction of the superposed bead halves between the guiding jaws these may be provided with slightly bend end portions 11. When the frontmost end of the stocking web arrives at position 5, the web is caught by the collar 4 of the presser foot. To facilitate the introduction of the stocking web under the presser foot at position 5, an elastic guiding lip 12 may be provided to keep the stocking web down level with the upper surface of the table 1. The stocking is now automatically advanced along the edge of the table 1. The bead halves of the stocking remain engaged in the guiding channel between the jaws 7 and since these now diverge from the contour of the presser foot the stocking web is slightly stretched between the presser foot and the guiding jaws, such as diagrammatically indicated in FIG. 2, which illustrates how the courses (rows of stitches) are gradually pulled apart. When the stocking reaches the recess of the table 1, the

clamping of the stocking web between the presser foot and the table 1 is temporarily interrupted, whereby the stocking web is liberated so that the regularly stretched stitches may again contract to form the normal regular stitch pattern, the stocking web being still guided by the jaws 7. The stocking web is now again engaged by the presser foot 2, 4 and is moved by the latter past the seaming device 6 where the seaming takes place in known manner, e.g., by first cutting off the superposed bead halves and excess stocking web by means of a trimmer and then sewing the superposed stocking web portions together by means of sewing needles. Before the seaming takes place, the superposed bead halves pass out of the exit end of the guiding channel between the jaws 7.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 68, the table or stocking toe support 1 has approximately the same configuration as in the first embodiment. It will be seen particularly clearly from FIG. 8 that the table 1 has a rear termination at the delivery position 5, and from there the edge of the portion 1a of the table extends along a circular arc to position 6, like the edge of table I in the first embodiment. From position 6, the portion lb of the table extends substantially tangentially with respect to the lower edge of the presser foot. Like in the first embodiment, the guiding jaws diverge slightly from the contour of the presser foot from position 5 to their exit end, though this is not essential. The recess 10 has been omitted. In this embodiment the shaft 30 of the presser foot 2 is disposed perpendicularly to the plane of the table 1. The presser foot has a resilient collar 40, that may or may not be toothed or serrated along its edge. To facilitate introduction of the stocking web between the portion la and the presser foot 2, a downwardly sloping guiding lip 21 is provided at the rear termination of the support I to guide the stocking web extending through the slot between the guiding jaws 7 from below onto the upper surface of the table 1. Moreover, slightly ahead of position 5 a further guiding lip 12a, corresponding to the guiding lip 12 in the first embodiment, is provided to keep the stocking web out of engagement with the presser foot until the time when it arrives position 5. However, in the embodiment of FIGS. 68, the lip 12a is preferably rigid, and its upper surface is level with that of the support 1 so as to form a support for the edge of the presser foot 4 in its approach to the table 1. i In the embodiment of FIGS. 68, a belt drive 22 is provided for automatically advancing the stocking along the guiding channel formed between the jaws 7. The belt drive 22 and the presser foot are synchronously driven linearly from an electric motor, not shown, through a transmission diagrammatically represented by gear wheels 24, 25, 26 and 27. The electric motor is started by a microswitch 28 when the frontmost end of the superposed bead halves has been advanced by hand to the location of that micro-switch. The seaming device at position 6 is started by another micro-switch 29 when the frontmost end of the superposed bead halves arrives at the location of that microswitch.

In both embodiments, the clamping device consisting of the table or stocking toe support and the presser foot may be constructed similarly as described in British Pat. specification No. 1,201,829 the table having a smooth surface and the presser foot being constructed to engage the stocking frictionally.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for the closing of the toe of a circularly knit stocking which is knit from yarn forming a stocking web with a thickened bead along the edge of an opening to be closed by means of the apparatus, said apparatus comprising a stationary flat stocking toe support having a curved edge portion, a presser foot engageabie with said stocking toe support to clamp the toe portion of a stocking between said presser foot and said support, said presser foot being rotatable about a central axis thereof and having a clamping edge substantially concentric with said curved edge portion of said stocking toe support and spaced at a small distance therefrom, toe closing means disposed at a seaming station adjacent said curved edge portion of said stocking toe support, and a pair of superposed jaws having marginal portions defining between them a guiding channel having a longitudinal slot, said channel being so disposed as to receive the superposed bead halves of a stocking, the stocking web extending through said channel slot, said guiding channel having a first free end at which the superposed bead halves of the stocking can be introduced into the channel for sliding movement therealong, said channel having a first portion extending to a delivery position adjacent the curved edge of said support for introducing the stocking web, extending through the channel slot, between said support and said presser foot, said channel having a 2. An apparatus as in claim I, in which the portion of the guiding channel which extends along the curved edge portion of the stocking toe support diverges from the clamping edge of the presser foot in a direction from said delivery point to said second free end.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which the stocking toe support has a rear termination located at the delivery position and has at the delivery position an inclined guiding lip for guiding the stocking web from below on to the top surface of the stocking toe support to be gripped by the presser foot rotating thereabove.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3, in which a further guiding lip is provided rearwardly of the stocking toe support and planar therewith for keeping the stocking web out of engagement with the presser foot. 

1. An apparatus for the closing of the toe of a circularly knit stocking which is knit from yarn forming a stocking web with a thickened bead along the edge of an opening to be closed by means of the apparatus, said apparatus comprising a stationary flat stocking toe support having a curved edge portion, a presser foot engageable with said stocking toe support to clamp the toe portion of a stocking between said presser foot and said support, said presser foot being rotatable about a central axis thereof and having a clamping edge substantially concentric with said curved edge portion of said stocking toe support and spaced at a small distance therefrom, toe closing means disposed at a seaming station adjacent said curved edge portion of said stocking toe support, and a pair of superposed jaws having marginal portions defining between them a guiding channel having a longitudinal slot, said channel being so disposed as to receive the superposed bead halves of a stocking, the stocking web extending through said channel slot, said guiding channel having a first free end at which the superposed bead halves of the stocking can be introduced into the channel for sliding movement therealong, said channel having a first portion extending to a delivery position adjacent the curved edge of said support for introducing the stocking web, extending through the channel slot, between said support and said presser foot, said channel having a
 1. An apparatus for the closing of the toe of a circularly knit stocking which is knit from yarn forming a stocking web with a thickened bead along the edge of an opening to be closed by means of the apparatus, said apparatus comprising a stationary flat stocking toe support having a curved edge portion, a presser foot engageable with said stocking toe support to clamp the toe portion of a stocking between said presser foot and said support, said presser foot being rotatable about a central axis thereof and having a clamping edge substantially concentric with said curved edge portion of said stocking toe support and spaced at a small distance therefrom, toe closing means disposed at a seaming station adjacent said curved edge portion of said stocking toe support, and a pair of superposed jaws having marginal portions defining between them a guiding channel having a longitudinal slot, said channel being so disposed as to receive the superposed bead halves of a stocking, the stocking web extending through said channel slot, said guiding channel having a first free end at which the superposed bead halves of the stocking can be introduced into the channel for sliding movement therealong, said channel having a first portion extending to a delivery position adjacent the curved edge of said support for introducing the stocking web, extending through the channel slot, between said support and said presser foot, said channel having a
 2. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which the portion of the guiding channel which extends along the curved edge portion of the stocking toe support diverges from the clamping edge of the presser foot in a direction from said delivery point to said second free end.
 3. An apparatus as in claim 1, in which the stocking toe support has a rear termination located at the delivery position and has at the delivery position an inclined guiding lip for guiding the stocking web from below on to the top surface of the stocking toe support to be gripped by the presser foot rotating thereabove. 